Free Ohio Sales Tax Calculator
Published: 7 November 2026 · Updated: 7 November 2026
A $100 purchase in Ohio at the average combined rate of 7.29% costs $107.29 — $7.29 of sales tax. Ohio's state rate is 5.75%, but all 88 counties add their own tax on top, so the same item costs $105.75 where there is no local tax and $108.00 in Cleveland. Pick your rate below and add or reverse the tax instantly.
Ohio's 5.75% state rate is only the start. County and transit taxes add 1.54% on average, taking the typical bill to 7.29% — the 21st highest combined rate in the US — and Cleveland runs 8%. Groceries and prescription drugs escape the tax entirely. Always check the county, not just the state.
Researched by MixKhazana Team · Last updated 7 November 2026 · Data: Tax Foundation midyear 2026, Ohio Dept. of Taxation county rate table (Oct 2026)
How to use
- Enter the price in dollars.
- Choose the sales tax rate — the 7.29% statewide average, the 5.75% state rate alone, Cleveland's 8%, Columbus's 7.5% or Cincinnati's 7.8%.
- Pick Add tax for a before-tax price or Remove tax for a tax-inclusive receipt total.
- Click Calculate Ohio Sales Tax for the tax amount and the total.
How it works
Ohio's sales tax is a two-layer system, and the second layer does most of the work. The state charges a flat 5.75% on most retail sales — a middle-of-the-pack state rate, ranking 27th of 51 jurisdictions. Then every one of Ohio's 88 counties adds its own "piggyback" tax on top, and several transit authorities add a little more: the population-weighted average local rate is 1.54%, which takes the typical Ohio purchase to a combined 7.29%. That combined figure ranks Ohio 21st highest in the US — above the national midpoint of about 7% — even though the state rate looks ordinary. Compare it with our Pennsylvania sales tax calculator (6% state, 6.34% combined) or Georgia (4% state, 7.56% combined) to see how different the layers can be.
Why the rate changes from county to county is the interesting part: Ohio lets each county set its own piggyback rate, and transit authorities in the big cities add their own slice on top. Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) charges the maximum 2.25% local rate, taking the total to 8%. Franklin County (Columbus) plus the Central Ohio Transit Authority comes to 1.75%, for 7.5% in the capital. Hamilton County (Cincinnati) lands at 7.8%. A few rural counties charge no local tax at all, so the bill there is just the 5.75% state rate — the lowest possible total in Ohio.
The formula is simple in both directions: total = price × (1 + rate) and price before tax = total ÷ (1 + rate), with tax = total − price before tax. At the 7.29% average, $100 becomes $107.29; in Cleveland at 8%, $100 becomes $108.00; at the 5.75% state rate alone, $100 becomes $105.75. In reverse, a $107.29 receipt at 7.29% is $100.00 before tax — the calculator does that split for you. Two exemptions worth knowing: groceries (food for home consumption) and prescription drugs are exempt from Ohio sales tax entirely, while clothing — unlike in Pennsylvania — is taxed at the full rate.
Worked example
Emma buys a $250 television in four Ohio places in 2026:
- State rate only (5.75%): tax $14.38 → total $264.38
- Statewide average combined (7.29%): tax $18.23 → total $268.23
- Columbus (7.50%): tax $18.75 → total $268.75
- Cleveland (8.00%): tax $20.00 → total $270.00
- The same television costs $5.62 more in Cleveland than at the state rate alone — same item, same state, different county tax
- Reverse check: her $268.23 receipt at 7.29% is $268.23 ÷ 1.0729 = $250.00 before tax, with $18.23 of tax inside
Try your own numbers in the widget: switch the rate to Cleveland and the $100 default becomes $108.00.
Figures used here
| Figure | 2026 value |
|---|---|
| State sales tax rate | 5.75% |
| Average local rate (population-weighted) | 1.54% |
| Average combined rate | 7.29% (rank 21 of 51) |
| Combined rate range | 5.75% – 8.00% |
| Columbus combined rate | 7.50% |
| Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) combined rate | 8.00% |
| Cincinnati combined rate | 7.80% |
| National average combined rate | ~7.53% |
| Groceries & prescription drugs | Exempt |
Frequently asked questions
What is the sales tax rate in Ohio in 2026?
Ohio's state sales tax rate is 5.75% in 2026. Every county adds its own local tax on top — the population-weighted average local rate is 1.54%, so the average combined rate across the state is 7.29%. Your actual rate depends on where you buy: combined rates range from 5.75% in counties with no local tax to 8% in the highest-tax counties, and the average combined rate ranks 21st highest in the US.
What is the sales tax in Columbus, Ohio in 2026?
Columbus charges a combined sales tax rate of 7.5% in 2026: the 5.75% state rate plus 1.75% in county and transit-authority taxes. On a $100 purchase in Columbus you pay $7.50 in tax, for a $107.50 total. That is just above the statewide average combined rate of 7.29%.
What is the sales tax in Cleveland, Ohio in 2026?
Cleveland, in Cuyahoga County, charges the state's highest combined rate: 8% in 2026 — the 5.75% state rate plus a 2.25% local rate, the maximum local rate anywhere in Ohio. On a $100 purchase in Cleveland you pay $8.00 in tax, for a $108.00 total.
How much is sales tax on $100 in Ohio?
At Ohio's average combined rate of 7.29%, a $100 purchase costs $107.29 — $7.29 of tax. At the 5.75% state rate alone it is $105.75. In Columbus at 7.5% it is $107.50, and in Cleveland at 8% it is $108.00. The calculator above works for any amount: pick a rate or enter your own county's combined rate.
Are groceries taxed in Ohio?
No. Food for home consumption — groceries — is exempt from Ohio sales tax, as are prescription drugs. Prepared food and restaurant meals are taxed at the full combined rate, and unlike Pennsylvania, Ohio does tax clothing.
How do I reverse-calculate Ohio sales tax?
Divide the tax-inclusive price by 1 plus the rate. A $107.29 receipt at the 7.29% average combined rate is $107.29 ÷ 1.0729 = $100.00 before tax, so $7.29 of the receipt is tax. Pick 'Remove tax (price includes tax)' in the calculator above and it does the split for you at any rate.
Does Ohio have a sales tax holiday?
Yes. Ohio has held an annual sales-tax holiday since 2015, and in recent years it has been expanded to cover a longer summer window with higher per-item limits. The Ohio Department of Taxation publishes the exact dates and eligible items each year, so check their site before the holiday to confirm what qualifies.
What official sources are the 2026 Ohio rates based on?
The 5.75% state rate, the 1.54% population-weighted average local rate and the 7.29% combined average come from the Tax Foundation's midyear 2026 compilation of state revenue department data (rates as of 1 July 2026). The 8% Cleveland figure and the 2.25% maximum local rate come from the Ohio Department of Taxation's county rate table effective 1 October 2026.